On Monday the temperature was supposed to climb to the low 90′s (atypical for us in Oregon especially in May).  I whisked my younger two to our favorite park in the morning before the heat of the day.  There were three other moms there with their toddlers and preschoolers.  As I looked at them and myself, we all looked the same–hair tied back in a pony-tail, little make-up, t-shirt, Capri pants, flip-flops.  Why do I fight the feeling of, “Oh no, I really am one of them.”

Years and years ago when I still watched Dr. Phil, there was a young mom who was trying to dress trendy and look cool.  Dr. Phil said, “This is your thing, right?  You kind of like having the reputation as the cool mom.”

Yesterday I picked up my daughter from school and had the song “Good Life” by One Republic blasting.  Blasting music on a warm sunny day.  Cool.  From a Toyota mini van driven by a 30 something mom.  Maybe not so cool.

Some of my insecurity comes from the fact I was tomboyish as a kid.  When I was ready to break out of that and “be a girl,”  I had a hard time figuring out the hair, the dress, the “look.”  There were painful moments of being teased by older girls.

Putting all that aside, I’m reminded that’s it not all about image.   People see through the image.  Most of our kids do not need a “cool mom.”  They need A MOM who is tuned in to their lives and interests.  T-shirts, Capri pants, sweat suits, Calvin Klein jeans–they don’t care.

Even if we consider ourselves “cool moms” as our kids approach adolescence, they will find a way to label us “uncool.”  A couple of weeks ago one of my youth group kids said, “My mom really shouldn’t dance in the house.  She think she’s all cool, but she really looks ridiculous.”  That might be my own kids in a few years.

Posted by artoornstra in Mental Health & Self Care Tags: boys, creating memories, family time, girls, moms, preschoolers, staying at home